If Denver plans on beating the Thunder in the playoffs, they better discover how to do it within the next week. While it isn’t a guarantee they will play, Oklahoma City again made sure that they have the mental edge, beating Denver for the second time in the last few days with a 104-89 win … Kevin Durant (28 points) was big, but it was the Thunder bench who blew it open with a 20-4 run early in the second quarter. Denver struggled to regain control and were getting beat up inside all night by the Thunder’s physicality. In the fourth quarter, Kendrick Perkins nearly took off Nene’s (18 points) head on a foul … In the third quarter, Nazr Mohammed had a dunk and three-point play on Al Harrington’s head that could’ve turned back time … Interesting finish in Memphis’ playoff-clinching, five-point win over the Kings. With the game still in the balance, Tyreke Evans (16 points) forced a drive to the rim while being double-teamed and had his shot blocked by Tony Allen and Zach Randolph (27 points, 15 rebounds). All of this happened as the announcers screamed “Pass the Ball!” … When the buzzer sounded and the Grizzlies’ ticket to the playoffs was checked, Allen started running around flexing and popping his jersey to the crowd. Then, he kneeled down on the halfcourt logo. Didn’t this dude already win a championship with Boston? Why is he so excited about a playoff appearance? … We think we hear Andrew Bynum’s stomach churning … The Knicks ran all over the Nets, 116-93. Jay-Z was there courtside, seeing Carmelo Anthony tear up his team (25 points, 14 rebounds) and Spike Lee laugh it up. Right now, Jay’s like the cool kid that gets sent to the private school, standing around at recess as all the nerds play World of Warcraft. With Deron Williams, Kris Humphries and Anthony Morrow sitting out, the Nets would’ve even been calling “next” all day at the YMCA. It got so bad, this happened … Somehow, the Knicks have won six straight games … Funny stat from the game: Jordan Farmar had eight rebounds. Brook Lopez (27 points) had two … Carlos Boozer‘s big night (24 points, 11 rebounds) helped lead the Bulls to an easy 11-point win in Cleveland. Derrick Rose had a pretty quiet night (11 points, 8 assists), but still got love from Cheryl Miller last night on NBA TV. Discussing a potential Heat/Bulls series, she said: “We saw Derrick Rose dismantle Rajon Rondo. What do you think he’s going to do to Mike Bibby?” If those teams make the Eastern Conference Finals, Bibby might want to fake an ACL tear, or hire Team Dime to smuggle him out of the country … Was that really Kwame Brown (23 points, 13 rebounds) out there in Miami’s nine-point win over the Bobcats? LeBron James (23 points), Dwyane Wade (27 points) and Chris Bosh (27 points) were typically great, but Brown did something no one has seen him do since he was maybe a 17-year-old … And what about Chris Wilcox? He might’ve scored more points (27) and had more rebounds (13) than he’s had all year in the Pistons’ 10-point win over Milwaukee … Other headlines from around the league: the Celtics finished off Washington by 16 as Rajon Rondo rebounded with a big night (20 points, 14 assists and six steals); Danny Granger (28 points) and Indiana beat the Hawks by 12; Elton Brand (22 points) helped Philly hold off a late charge from the Raptors for a five-point win; Willie Green went berserk (hit his first 12 shots, 31 total points) as the Hornets beat the Suns by 12; and the Mavs got a huge boost from Corey Brewer (20 points, 4 steals) in their 11-point win over the Clippers … We’re out like big nights from Kwame and Chris.

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04.09.11 at 2:01 am

jzsmoove

picking up Crash was pure genius. they gotta do what they gotta do, now Oden will be good trade bait in the offseason. as for the Lakers, you still gotta respect them. a 7 game series is different and PJ is master of it.

04.09.11 at 2:50 am

Showtime

Somehow we always get embarressed at the Rose Garden. We better figure that sh!t out because we’re probably gonna see them in the first or second round cuz they are gonna send Dallas fishin

04.09.11 at 2:57 am

the cynic

Violet Palmer is the worse ref in the NBA. She was awful in the Lakers/Blazers game and she was even worse in the Clippers/Grizzles game a couple nights ago.

Tony Allen has become one of my favorite players in the league over the last 2 years. Best perimeter defender in the league

04.09.11 at 3:31 am

That's What's Up

lakers are looking nice and chumpish right now.
no excuses, they are just playing like crap and look awful.
and I like it.

04.09.11 at 3:33 am

ManilaFTW

Uhm. What’s up with the weak comparative lines Dime?? 3 sentences to compare the Lakers to a waiter? CMON SON

“the performance from the Lakers is to take a waiter, bored with working too many hours and not enough tips. He sets a table for a group coming in, realizing at the end that he gave two of the guests utensil rolls with no forks. Still, he shrugs his shoulders, says “screw it” and keeps walking”

“Right now, Jay’s like the cool kid that gets sent to the private school, standing around at recess as all the nerds play World of Warcraft.”

I’m just glad this looser never won anything. He probably still has no idea why not a single NBA team wants him in their locker room

04.09.11 at 7:03 am

First & Foremost

Kobe with 25 shots for 24 points, missed all his free throws. Dude needs to hit the gym or something. Settled for jacking up 8 threes and had 3 turnovers. Phil should bench him for his poor play as of late. To top it off, he rides B**** in a pink Lambo. How dare he call himself an All-Star.

04.09.11 at 8:10 am

Soopa

The Knicks couldnt use Brewer because he doesnt fit their system… He plays D and Knicks players arent allowed to do that.

Im crazy excited for OKC-DEN first round match up. Just following Nene and Perk around waiting for one of them to snap.

Now im not saying that Denver cant surprise and knock the Thunder out. But OKC really seems to be clicking.

Tonights game was a good showcase.
They start cold, but Russel gets them going. Then the subs come in and Harden dominates. Ibaka and Perk both block dunk attempts. Nazr comes in and has an impact on both ends of the floor. Durant heats up in the 3rd. Then Brooks goes with his bench mob the end the 3rd and start the 4th and they keep the lead at 10+. Then the starters check in a kills Denver.

Now ive watched alot of OKC games and this team is not the team that started the season. They play defense now and they play it well.

Note to Jay-Z. Can’t be that cool if no one wants to play for you. Good luck with free agency. Chump

04.09.11 at 10:42 am

Ian

ugk
its not wanting the mavs but avoiding the spurs and lakers.

04.09.11 at 11:19 am

yentron

Right now, Jay’s like the cool kid that gets sent to the private school, standing around at recess as all the nerds play World of Warcraft.

ya’ll are tryin way to hard with the similes

04.09.11 at 11:36 am

Atom

The Lakers are waiters that forgot to bring us our cutlery? Might want to go back to the drawing board on that one.

Might as well put Bibby on Rose. Nobody is slowing him down. Kid is on a mission.

04.09.11 at 11:40 am

common sense

man brook lopez, what is wrong with that guy seriously.. its awfully hard for any starter to end a game with just two boards for any position let alone a C…

04.09.11 at 1:30 pm

K Dizzle

Denver is playin possum with OKC. They go into OKC n lose, get the Thunder feelin good.
Problem is, they go in without big pieces in Afflalo, Birdman and Mozgov. Whole different series when those 3 suit up.
I ain’t gonna lie. Lookin forward to that first round series more than even my Lakers series…

04.09.11 at 1:48 pm

Sporty-j

Wade will slow Rose down once the playoffs start…

04.09.11 at 2:28 pm

trollne1

weak smack. that explanation about waiters took forever to get to the point. then you follow it up with more crap about jay-z and nerds.

04.09.11 at 3:46 pm

ProphetGK

I don’t know if you can remember, but the last time Chicago played Miami, Rose destroyed both Wade and James, no one can stop him, he is his own worst enemy.

04.09.11 at 3:48 pm

egypt

“Problem is, they go in without big pieces in Afflalo, Birdman and Mozgov. Whole different series when those 3 suit up.”

If your team’s playoff chances rely on afflalo, birdman, and mozgov then enjoy watching the 2nd round on tnt with them

04.09.11 at 4:06 pm

Rafa23

Afflalo has missed a ton of games with a bad hamstring. that wont be perfect to start the playoffs. Birdman is probably back, but Mozgov will miss at least the first few games.
So good luck hoping for those guys to help.

04.09.11 at 4:56 pm

the cynic

@egypt

think of it this way, for every minute that Afflalo plays, JR doesn’t.

04.09.11 at 6:03 pm

jdizzle

I agree. Let Wade guard Rose so it can wear him out when he goes back on offense where he will have Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer waiting for him (I know they’re not Bruce Bowen and Shane Battier but yall get what I’m saying)

04.09.11 at 7:46 pm

K Dizzle

@ egypt

Yeah, you right. Why would a team need their starting 2 and 2 productive 7-footers off the bench a night after Jame Hardens did whatever he wanted, Perkins beasted them inside and Nazr became relavant again.
Great actual basketball analysis by you…

04.09.11 at 10:47 pm

First & Foremost

Isn’t Denver locked into their seed? Don’t they want to play Dallas anyway? So don’t they also have an incentive to lose to OKC and beat Dallas in the same week? Even still, why show all your cards to a team you might end up playing 6 more times. You’d at least want to hold back 1 match-up you think you can exploit.